This invention relates generally to an apparatus for holding a razor blade, and more particularly to such an apparatus which allows the razor blade to slide from a covered to an exposed position and is used to open packages and cartons.
Often it is convenient to use a razor blade to open items such as packages or cartons which have been securely taped. The blade is typically housed within a holder. Certain types of holders employ a sheath for covering the blade when it is not being used. Such a device is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,342 to Baum. The blade is exposed by sliding the sheath on the holder until the blade is exposed. Movement of the sheath on the holder to expose the blade is not positively limited in some such devices. Also, the blade is usually held in a folded-over strip of metal, the layers of which are secured together by spot welding which requires an additional processing step entailing relatively expensive electrical spot welding equipment or by swaging. Further, it is generally difficult to quickly and accurately guide the blades along an edge of a carton. Moreover, the blades are generally not tightly held within their holders and therefore tend to jump and/or snag the carton during operation.